Senate votes to give Obama power to 'fast track' Trans-Pacific Partnership

A Senate vote Wednesday gave President Obama a huge victory for a free trade deal with Pacific nations, one of his top second-term priorities.

The 60-to-38 vote gives Obama power to “fast track” a Trans-Pacific Partnership under negotiation with a slew of Asian states by forcing simple up-or-down votes in Congress, with lawmakers unable to alter the pact.

Both New York senators, along with most Democrats, voted against the bill Wednesday.

The vote represents a reversal from earlier this month, when Obama’s trade agenda appeared nearly dead.

Cheered on by labor groups, House Democrats joined with conservatives to soundly reject a measure to help retrain workers displaced by trade pacts.

The Democrats hoped blocking the program, usually passed with larger trade deals, would sink the trade pact.

But Obama worked with Republican leaders to outmaneuver Democrats. By threatening to sign the fast-track bill without the retraining measure, he removed their leverage.

With the Pacific pact set to become law regardless, House Democrats are set to approve the retraining bill Thursday. The Senate is expected to approve it, too.